Welcome to the 2005 - 2006 season for the Irondale Youth Hockey Association.

All the players hit the ice this month. Within two weeks the traveling teams will be put together with players and coaches. TC District season games will be scheduled for the boys on October 22nd and for the girls on October 23rd. The annual meeting for TC District coaches/managers/presidents is on November 2nd. League play can begin as early as November 5th. Everyone should be thinking about ways they can help their teams. Each team will need Managers and Treasurers. Then there is the big SuperRink Spectacular Tournament during Thanksgiving weekend. This important fundraising event for our Association will need volunteers at all levels from each family. One position that needs a volunteer right now is for the Tourney Trade Show.

The Girls Program has grown by one, now having two 10U and two 12U teams. The Initiation Program is developing another girls squad for the under eight-year-old level. It is important to note that the numbers are down from last year in the Initiation Program. Our youngest and newest players will continue to trickle in throughout the fall making those numbers climb a bit, but we must all be active in recruiting and encouraging young kids to give hockey a try. We need to ensure a stable future for our Association. The Boys Program will have the same slate of teams as last season; two Bantams, three PeeWee and three Squirt teams.

The TC District will remain our home for the coming years. Minnesota Hockey was considering a proposal to dissolve the "TC", but those efforts found little support and now is "off the table". Now the TC will actively and aggressively recruit neighboring Associations to create a larger TC District, something that is desperately needed. But that is for the future. In the meantime, this years lean TC intends to offer a more substantial "A-level" schedule of league games by playing 2 home and 2 away games.

As many of you have already heard or read, the SuperRink will soon begin construction on four additional rinks. Columbia Arena has been sold for development, but will remain open until the doors to the new SuperRink facility open, sometime in October or November of 2006.

More later. Thanks.

Jim Cich, IYHA President

From Mark Mohar, Boys Program Coordinator:

IYHA tryouts are conducted under the direction of the Boy’s Coordinator with assistance from the ACE Coordinator. Independent evaluators (who have no players currently trying out at any Boy’s Traveling level) are selected to observe and evaluate all skaters at the Traveling levels. The on-ice tryout coach has no bearing on team selection or evaluation.

Team selection is based on performance in two areas: drills and scrimmage.
Drills are provided by the on-ice tryout coach and are designed to measure and exhibit speed and quickness, balance, stickhandling, passing, and shooting skills as well as hustle.
Scrimmages will be comprised of 3 on 3, 4 on 4, and 5 on 5 situations. Scrimmage evaluations are subjective and will take into consideration all of the above skills as well as game sense, ice vision, defensive skills, aggressiveness, team play ability, and playmaking.
Goalies will be evaluated ongoing by the selected evaluators in areas of quickness, agility, positioning, hustle, proper technical movements, and reaction.

Attendance at all sessions is required. In extenuating circumstances a tryout may be missed. The impact of that will be subject to review by the Boy's Program Coordinator, ACE Coordinator, and evaluators.

The number of players on each team will be based on the overall registration numbers for that particular level. Our goal is a minimum of 12 skaters per team and a maximum of 15.

Once the tryouts are completed, results will be compiled and initial team placement will take place. This will consist of approximately 80% of the team placed solely on raw rankings. The remainder of the roster will be determined based on input/discussion between the head coach, evaluators, tryout coordinator, and ACE coordinator. For example for a team of 14 skaters 80% represents 11 players. Eleven players will be placed and discussion will revolve around the remaining 3 to be named. This discussion will consist of specific team needs and who best can fill those needs. This last step is to avoid a team having a glut of any one position and a dearth in others as well as an overabundance of certain skill sets and a deficiency in others. The eligible players to be added in this manner will only be twice as many as spots to fill. For example if three spots need to be filled then only the next six in player rankings will be considered. The head coach will not be involved in discussions unless their child has been placed.

Upon completion of these steps players will be notified of team placement.This season players will be notified Wednesday, October 19th,

From Cheryl Mason, Initiation Program Coordinator:

The Initiation program hosted a FREE “Let’s Play Hockey” skating session on Saturday, October 1st at Fogerty Arena. Over 2000 flyers were handed out to kids and their families. 25 new skaters, along with their families showed up, flyer in hand for this event! It was organized chaos, but what a blast! We are already registering new players as a result of the skating session. Many thanks are needed to all who helped; Pat O’Connor (registration coordinator) for helping distribute the flyers, Linda Kolstad who helped set up and greet families, Initiation Coaches and skating parents who were there to help on ice!

The Initiation program has started already and it is good to see the returning families as well as all of the new families. The mini mites began skating on Sunday and the most improved skating award goes to Aaron Hereau! When Aaron first started skating on Sunday, he started on the skating walker and quickly graduated to holding onto a coaches hockey stick. By the end of the first hour, he was making his way around the rink on his own! It’s very exciting to see this kind of progress and during the next few weeks, the skating progress will be amazing. Stop by and see for yourself.

The Initiation program is still accepting registration for new skaters, so keep sending the new skaters our way!

Cheryl Mason – Initiation Coordinator

From Brian Johnson, Vice President:

SUPER RINK SPECTACULAR. This is a great opportunity for those mom's and dad's without a hockey background to get involved with a very important part of our hockey association. The Super Rink Spectacular tournaments are IYHA's major fundraiser for the season. These two tournaments are held on November 25-27 and January 13-15. We co-host the SRS with Mounds View, and it keeps us from having to do traditional types of fundraising (i.e. selling pizzas, etc.)

Many of you have talents that you use at home and at work everyday that don't involve a stick or a puck. Why not lend those talents? We need immediate help with:

Mailing letters to potential trade show vendors,

Visiting potential trade show vendors,

Hustling up raffle items,

Coordinating a master list,

Filing the raffle license.

All these tasks have been started, and we NEED your help! Please consider volunteering at this crucial time. Call me at 651-290-5652 (w) or 651-635-0484 (h).

EQUIPMENT LOAN PROGRAM. Thanks for the recent surge in donations and requests! We have placed all but one breezer and one set of elbow pads from the Wild donation! Much of the used equipment is out for use as well.

For the equipment loan program, preference is given to 1st year skaters. The equipment is on loan and should be returned after the family is done using it. All donations are still being accepted. We have a need for more helmets and straight blade sticks!

I am working on a system for ELP (need volunteers here as well), but it has to take a back burner to the SRS tournaments. Look forward to hearing from you if you can volunteer.

Lost and Found:

Rollerblading Helmet from the parades

Hat and Jersey from Highland arena tryout (Squirt or PeeWee group)

Sponsorships:

There have been several teams that have sponsors for their teams. These are listed below. This part of the newsletter will continue throughout the rest of the IYHA season. Please notify Niki Gjere of any additions or corrections. (Please forward information about websites and addresses, etc.) Many thanks to our sponsors!

Once again, many, many thanks to our sponsors! Please support them! When you see them, please tell them you are from Irondale Youth Hockey.

IYHA Board Meetings are open meetings.

Please feel free to come to the meetings. If you wish to have a copy of any information which is distributed at any meeting, please email or call Niki and it will be mailed to you. Upcoming dates for 2005 Board meetings are the

third Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Our meetings have moved to New Brighton Family Service Center.

(Mounds View City Hall is undergoing remodeling.)

October 20, November 17, and December 15.

NOTE: If you wish to be on the agenda for the meeting, please contact Jim Cich.

Lake Region Board Meetings:

Lake Region Hockey meetings are open meetings. Contact Jeanne Falconer for dates and times of the next meetings.

Irondale Youth Hockey Association (IYHA) Board Members 2004-2005

President

Jim Cich

(2005-2007)

651-295-1078 (cell)

Vice President

Brian Johnson

(2004-2006)

651-635-0484

Treasurer

Jeanne Falconer

(2004-2006)

763-784-5520 (h)

763-458-5946 (cell)

651-486-1235 (w)

Secretary

Niki Gjere

(2005-2007)

612-273-6439 (w)

651-270-8551 (cell)

612-527-7437 (pager)

Ice Commissioner

Renae Olesen

(2004-2007)

763-784-6864 (h)

Boys Program Coordinator

Mark Mohar

(2005-2008)

651-639-1908 (h)

Girls Program Coordinator

Chris Tahti

(2005-2008)

651-636-6152 (h)

(home)

Initiation Coordinator

Cheryl Mason

(2003-2006)

651-639-1543 (h)

Equipment

Randy Bortot

(2004-2007)

763-784-9557 (h)

952-475-4045 (Work)

Registration

Pat O’Connor

(2003-2006)

651-636-1081 (h)

District Representative

Tom Welty

(2004-2007)

763-780-4865 (h)

612-508-4833 (cell)

Non-Board Position:

ACE Coordinator

John Donovan

651-786-5200ext2480 (w)

651-592-1187 (h)

(home)

(work)

Irondale Youth Hockey Association Board Meeting Minutes:

IYHA Board of Directors meeting September 15, 2005. Note: These minutes have not been approved. They will be reviewed, corrected as needed, and approved at the next regular Board of Directors Meeting.

Meeting called to order by President Jim Cich at 6:30 pm. in the New Brighton Family Service Center conference room. Agenda reviewed. Minutes reviewed; motion to approve as presented (JF) (NG), motion carried.

President: Jim Cich.

·Lettermen’s night is on September 29th. Will ask Lettermen’s for the materials to mail. Out.

·Rink Advisory Task force. Talked with Tadd Tuomie, Jim will make first contact with members of the task force and will work to set up the first meeting.

·Brandon at the National Sports Center wants to meet and talk about the plans for the NSC. Will work on setting up meeting in October. Columbia has been sold. Will be open until new rinks are up and running, approximately Oct. or Nov. of 2006.

Vice President: Brian Johnson.

·Super Rink tournament: Sue Kranz had volunteered to work on vendors and trade show, now has family commitments. Need to have a new volunteer.

·Equipment donations: none additional. Half of the MN Wild gear is gone—has been distributed. Will be able to place the rest.

Lake Region: Jeanne Falconer.

·A checking account for the SuperRink Tournament has been established.

·A motion was made and passed for funding for the SKATE programs for both MVYHA and IYHA. Each member can donate $1000 per year to the charity, organization of his/her choice. This MV member wanted to donate his/hers to pay for the SKATE program for each association.

·Still looking for new sites.

·Hopeful that with the remodeling, Champp’s business will pick up. It has picked up recently.

Ice Commissioner: Renae Olesen. Gave all the ice bills except the SuperRink to the treasurer. Will be sitting down with the person from the SuperRink to verify that both our schedules match and also to see if there is any open ice.

Initiation Program Coordinator: Cheryl Mason.

·Held a very successful coaches’ meeting last night – it was very well attended.

·Have talked to Kari Olafson and Diane Ness about player development sessions.

·Will be looking for corporate sponsorships.

·Will be contacting Play it Again to see if we can use any equipment (skates and helmets) for the free open skate Oct. 1st from 4:50 – 5:50 at Fogerty Arena. We are hoping to recruit new players.

Boys’ Coordinator: Mark Mohar. Coaches interviews are finished. Warm-Ups are in progress. Try-Outs start Oct. 1st. Still have 2 more tournaments to get. Woodbury is full. John Donovan will be the facilitator at Try-Outs. There is one session he will not be able to make and Mark will facilitate that session.

Treasurer: Jeanne Falconer.

·Reminder – Lake Region (LR) will no longer be donating blanket checks, instead will issue checks payable to Ramsey County, or the SuperRink, or Columbia and in this way will help reduce our ice bills.

·IYHA and MVYHA have received no donations from LR since May.

·Some ice bills have been paid - $900 to Victory Memorial, $1080 to Fogerty and $19,880 to Ramsey County. The money to Ramsey County is for 2 months only.

·Many thanks to Lady Slipper for a $2000 donation.

·Have issued a check for over $7000 to USA Hockey and will be issuing a check for $2140 to MN Hockey.

·IYHA teams have been entered into tournaments. Only a couple have come back already full. This is why it is so important to enter the tournaments in early fall.

·Have all budgets except for our ACE Coordinator’s.

·Will consolidate the budgets into one document. Motion to approve the budgets that have been presented, without the redundancies (two entries for the same items) (JF)(RO). Discussion. Motion carried.

Ace Coordinator: Jim will approach John Donovan and ask that he present a proposal on how he will complete the requirements of the ACE coordinator position. Will ask for a presentation at next meeting.

Meeting adjourned by President Jim Cich.

Would you like to have something published in the newsletter? Please contact Niki Gjere. Information you share is helpful in keeping our members up to date about activities of the Irondale Youth Hockey Association! The deadline for the next month’s newsletter is the first of each month. Thank you!